CBS Records recently re-released the “Johnny Cash at San Quentin” album with several added tracks and the “son of a bitch” restored to its rightful glory
Okay, so now I’m a little confused.
Here’s the original item : http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/msue.html
Joe from Jacksonville says “at Folsom prison”, and the reply mentions the album Live from Folsom Prison, but then indicates that the bleeping was not done “at San Quentin”. The above post (by ToddEverett) says “San Quentin”.
So is it …
Two different albums, one all at Folsom, the other all at San Quentin (perhaps both containing live, bleeped versions of the song);
Songs on a single album (entitled Live from Folsom Prison) which were recorded at one or the other;
or something else entirely?
Well, Mr. Cash released (at least) two live albums, one being “At Folsom Prison” and the other “At San Quentin”. I believe the reissue ToddEverett is referring to is “At Folsom Prison”. My evidence being that I own it and it’s sitting right in front of me. It has the unbleeped “son of a bitch” in question.
I don’t own nor have I ever heard the “At San Quentin” album, so maybe it also has the beeped/unbeeped versions.
What does it mean when it says the original word was “nut”?
Does it mean that Shel Silverstein wrote “I’m the son of a nut that named you Sue”?
No, I’ve never read the originial lyrics, but I’m pretty sure he meant, “I’m the NUT who named you Sue”
I have a different version of what was bleeped out of the recording “A Boy Named Sue.” A friend of mine who died a couple of years ago knew Mr. Cash since he started in the music business and remained good friends with Mr. Cash until my friends death. I believe it was my friend who said what was bleep out was “dick licker.” This makes more sense to me since it was in prison, better fits the mood, fits better in the song and for various reasons got the huge response from the prisoners. I don’t know if the song was written this way (knowing the author’s work, I wouldn’t doubt that) or was made up on the spot by Mr. Cash. Like many of these things, one can’t say for sure, but I believe it was “dick licker.”
We’re talking about the “Live from Folsom Prison” album, and the deleted word – which, as mentioned earlier, has been restored – was “son of a bitch.” “Dick licker,” while perhaps being “true to the mood of the event,” does not have the poetic rhythm to fit the melody well (it could be done, but it takes a bit of effort). “Son of a bitch” just flows better – and being a singer, I can tell you that’s very important. You just can’t sing a song with words that don’t fit well. Unless you’re Bob Dylan. 
And Silverstein’s original line was “I’m the nut who named you Sue,” according to original lyrics I found on a tribute site.
Neither “dick licker” nor “nut” scans. I suspect “nut” is – as it were – just another form of bleep.
Wow, I never knew that Silverstein wrote the lyrics to that. I highly doubt that Shel would have used the word “bitch” or “son of a bitch”, but he’s the type who would certainly deliberately stick in “nut” where “son of a bitch” clearly matches the scansion.
If you’re surprised to find out Shel Silverstein wrote that, you might be just as surprised to find out he wrote quite a number of songs, a number for Dr. Hook (like “Cover of the Rolling Stone”). I admit it was rather surprising, since he’s so well-known from the children’s books.
I just did a little searching and found this lyrics/adult poetry site (note the domain name as well).
It has ‘son-of-a-bitch’, though it’s entirely possible there were other versions with ‘nut’. “Everybody Got Some But Me” had a tamer version (see website), though songs like “Polly in a Porny”, “Get My Rocks Off”, “California C’s” certainly do not.
Also of note is “Father of a Boy Named Sue”, in which the father relates how it really went down (the boy’s a homosexual transvestite). The song ends with :
And on the nights that I can’t score,
Well, I can’t tell you anymore.
Sure is a joy to have a boy named Sue.
Yeah, a son is fun,
But it’s a joy to have a boy named Sue.
Yes, there’s plenty to offend among his works. But there’s also some really good folk songs, like “The Giving Tree” and “25 Minutes To Live”. And then there’s really funny stuff, too (like “Daddy, What if?”).
I’m amazed that sombody didn’t just pull their albums out and look at them.
The original “At Folsom Prison,” released in 1968, included the following songs (I’ll not use quotes, to save some typing time): Folsom Prison Blues; Dark as the Dungeon; I Still Miss Someone; Cocaine Blues; 25 Minutes to Go (another Silverstein song); Orange Blossom Special; The Long Black Veil; Send a Picture of Mother; The Wall; Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog; Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart; Jackson; Give My Love to Rose; I Got Stripes; Green Green Grass of Home; and Greystone Chapel. The album was re-released last year (I believe) with a couple of extra tracks; previously, the originals of it and “San Quentin” were available as a twofer
The original “San Quentin” was released in 1969 and included Wanted Man; Wreck of the Old 97; I Walk the Line; Darling Companion; Starkville City Jail; San Quentin; San Quentin (reprise); A Boy Named Sue; (There’ll Be) Peace in the Valley; and Folsom Prison Blues. It was reissued a couple of months ago, with added tracks (mostly with sound problems: Cash going off-mic and so on); and “son of a bitch” left free and clear. It’s purported to be the full concert, though I suspect the Statler Bros., Carl Perkins and Carter Family, at least, performed an opening half. They all back Cash, together with the Tennessee Three – Marshall Grant, “Fluke” Holland and Bob Wootten.
Songbird was right; I was just trying to hype you to a “new” album. Sheesh!
I was the first to pull out my old album!
And thanks for the affirmation. We Science Board Advisory Board members work very hard to get things right. If only our salaries reflected all that overtime …
Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I have one burning question: why?
At Folsom Prison came out before * At San Quentin*, and features Johnny singing “I shot that bad bitch down” on “Cocaine Blues”. Why bleep out “son of a bitch” on a later record? Did “Cocaine Blues” cause too much controversy? Both released were produced by Bob Johnston for Columbia Records.
FWIW, I always assumed the bleep covered “motherfucker”. It fits perfectly.